Fire Safety Policy 1. Policy It is the policy of Malden Oaks to minimise the risks to students, staff and others which may arise from fire. This is achieved by ensuring precautions are taken to avoid fires occurring and by ensuring that procedures for minimising the effects of an outbreak of fire and evacuating the premises are in place. This policy applies to all sites under the Malden Oaks control. 2. Overall Responsibility for Fire Safety Matters The School Business Manager has been appointed as the Responsible Person for the Malden Oaks and has overall responsibility for fire safety matters at the Malden Oaks. She co-ordinates the implementation of fire safety measures, ensuring that staff and student training takes place and monitoring the standard of fire precautions maintained. She ensures that a fire evacuation drill is undertaken early in each term, fire action notices are kept up to date and fire safety equipment is maintained etc. The School Business Manager has attended relevant training for their role. The School Business Manager provides a written report detailing any fire alarm activations and drills this is circulated to SLT and reported to the Finance & Premises Committee and the Behaviour and Welfare committee. The School Business Manager is responsible for ensuring the regular in-house checks and contracted inspection and maintenance of fire safety equipment are undertaken and recorded. The Headteacher, Samantha Axbey, has a duty to ensure the School Business Manager is carrying out her duties, staff have the relevant information and understand their role in improving fire safety. The Headteacher is responsible for: ensuring there is a suitable, sufficient and up to date fire risk assessment in place for Malden Oaks; (see also section entitled Fire Risk Assessment );
ensuring staff are advised of the fire procedures during their first day at work as part of their induction; reminding staff to keep evacuation routes clear, including fire doors; ensuring evacuation drills are held on a regular basis and are timed with a record kept; ensuring there are Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) in place for staff or students who need assistance to leave the building in an emergency, including those who may have temporary injuries or conditions; ensuring full advice is taken in preparation for refurbishments or building works in relation to fire safety design. 3. Employee Responsibilities All Malden Oaks employees have important roles within fire safety and make a positive contribution to the Malden Oaks efforts. Employees are responsible for: complying with the Malden Oaks fire evacuation procedure (Appendix A) raising the alarm if a fire is detected; evacuating their area safely and assisting those who may need help; reporting any fire related concerns immediately, such as faulty electrical equipment, or blocked fire exits; ensuring only electrical equipment which has been suitably maintained and PAT inspected is used as per Malden Oaks policy on personal electrical items (this includes personal equipment such as mobile phone chargers; keeping evacuation routes clear; taking an active part in fire evacuation drills; undertaking suitable fire safety training; not moving fire-fighting equipment, unless it is being used to fight a fire; not bringing in equipment to the workplace without the approval of the Premises Manager; not blocking fire exits or wedging open fire doors; informing their manager of any relevant medical conditions that may affect fire safety and evacuations. This information will only be passed to relevant staff with the individual s agreement. 4. Occupational Health & RBK Health & Safety Team Responsibilities reviewing this policy to ensure it remains up to date;
ensuring suitable fire training is made available to Malden Oaks; attending all Fire Brigade Malden Oaks visits when informed by Malden Oaks themselves; providing advice on fire related issues; reviewing fire risk assessments and identifying where specialist fire risk assessments are needed; investigating Malden Oaks fires. 5. Contractors Contractors are expected to comply with the Malden Oaks fire safety policy. All contractors should have a suitable fire risk assessment for their working area, risk assessments, method statements and hot work permits in place prior to carrying out any work with a fire risk. Contractors that control part(s) of the Malden Oaks, such as an independent caterer must have their own fire risk assessment, which complies with the Malden Oaks controls. 6. Fire Risk Assessment Malden Oaks utilises the Kingston and Sutton Malden Oaks Fire Risk Assessment template document - this is reviewed/completed on an annual basis and presented to the Management Committee for approval. If there are complex fire safety queries in relation to the design of a building, a specialist fire risk assessor would be engaged to undertake a fire risk assessment. In these instances, Malden Oaks would contact the Kingston and Sutton Shared Service - Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team initially. Where possible, the queries would be dealt with by staff within the team, but on occasion it may be necessary to engage the services of a fire safety consultant. If the school uses an external consultant to complete their Fire Risk Assessment, a copy will be submitted as noted above. (Community Schools are required to provide a copy of the Fire Risk Assessment (or Review) to the Occupational Health & Safety team on an annual basis. This is to allow the local authority to fulfil its legal duty in monitoring safety in Malden Oaks.
7. Fire Training and Evacuation Drills During their first day of employment at the Malden Oaks, all new staff are briefed on the Malden Oaks fire safety arrangements including the evacuation drill, local fire exit routes and their fire safety responsibilities (see checklist Appendix B). Training is provided on a regular basis for all permanent full time Malden Oaks staff in fire safety and the Malden Oaks fire procedure. The School ensures the Fire Safety Officers attend suitable training designed to support this role on a regular basis. The Fire Safety Officer ensures all fire safety training records are maintained and are available for inspection by any enforcement authority. Training for staff includes: The main causes of fire and how to prevent it. How fire is likely to spread in a building. How to take precautions against arson. The function of fire doors and the need to keep them shut. The action to be taken in the event of fire, in particular the method of raising the alarm. The location of the fire alarm call points, fire extinguishers, exits and escape routes. The use of fire extinguishers. The location of the assembly point. How the Fire Brigade will be called in the event of fire. Staff assisting students or staff with disabilities out of the building will be provided with appropriate training e.g. in the use of specialised equipment such as Evac Chairs and the creation of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans see point 10 below.
8. Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are prepared for any staff or students who need additional assistance to exit the buildings. This can be for permanent or temporary medical conditions. The PEEP is always followed during fire evacuation practices and includes the following information: name of student/staff member; names of the team members allocated to assist the student/staff member in emergency evacuation situations; a school plan identifying the evacuation route(s) available to the student/staff member; timetable and class locations; locations of refuge areas if these form part of the Plan; if there are no suitable places of refuge, this should be stated in the Plan; communication methods and relevant information. The PEEP will be completed with the direct assistance of the person it is designed to help (dependent on age). Parents/Carers will have the opportunity to make comment on the PEEP. (More information about emergency evacuation arrangements and other relevant issues is provided in the document Health and safety Arrangements for Disabled Students and Staff which is available from the health and safety extranet for Malden Oaks.) 9. Maintenance of Fire Doors, Fire Exit Doors, Fire Equipment and Other Systems Automatic smoke detection is provided within the Malden Oaks to help ensure early detection of fire. It is provided in all areas of the building. Fire extinguishers are provided in Malden Oaks for the purpose of putting out a small fire in its early stages and only used when it is safe to do so by staff who have been trained in their use. Fire-fighting equipment, fire alarm systems and emergency lighting are maintained by specialist contractors. In addition, the School Business & Premises Manager carries out interim checks on the systems and precautions between maintenance visits.
10. Appointment and Duties of Fire Marshals/Officers All teaching staff fulfil the role of fire marshal/warden specifically for the class for which they are responsible. Some of the administrative and site staff are also fire marshals/officers with specific roles and functions. Further details as to the roles of the Malden Oaks fire marshals/ Officers are provided in the Fire Risk Assessment. 11. Calling the Fire Brigade In the event of a confirmed fire, it is Malden Oaks policy that the fire brigade is called, from a safe location. 12. Meeting the Fire Brigade The School Business Manager is responsible for ensuring that a member of staff is available to meet the Fire Brigade on arrival and in their absence there is a member of staff to deputise for them. 13. Events Taking Place Out of Malden Oaks Hours Where events are organised outside normal Malden Oaks hours, or by outside organisations, it is the responsibility of the member of staff organising the event or arranging the letting to ensure that School Business & Premises Manager is consulted and appropriate precautions including arrangements for evacuation and calling the Fire Brigade are put in place. The School Business Manager may impose specific restrictions on the type of letting or activity the number of persons involved and the number and layout of any seating. 14. Signage All fire exit routes are identified with the provision of pictogram signs with directional arrows. Fire Action Notices are displayed in each classroom and in communal areas within the Malden Oaks. Warning signs (e.g. highly flammable liquids etc) are displayed where required.
FIRE EVACUATION APPENDIX A IF YOU FIND A FIRE OR ONE IS REPORTED TO YOU: Staff discovering a fire or other emergency for which the buildings should be evacuated should activate the alarm [using the nearest available break glass call point please see plans) FIRE FIGHTING A safe evacuation is an absolute priority. Staff may only attempt to deal with small fires, if it is safe to do so without putting themselves at risk, using portable firefighting equipment. Ensure the alarm is raised BEFORE attempting to tackle a fire. NB. Staff should be made aware of the type and location of portable firefighting equipment and receive basic instruction in its correct use. ON HEARING THE FIRE ALARM: All staff, students, occupants of building must respond to the alarm Staff will supervise the evacuation of pupils/visitors to the designated assembly point(s). Staff must ensure that any students in toilets are evacuated. Staff not with students, visitors and contractors must leave the building by the nearest exit and report directly to The Premises Manager at the assembly point. Assembly Points are at the front and rear of the building please see plans. The last person to leave the classroom must close the door. If a student is not in a classroom when the alarm sounds, he/she must walk to the assembly point leaving the building by the nearest marked escape route. Walk quickly DO NOT RUN or stop to collect belongings On arrival at the assembly area students must stand while staff check their registers. Registers, visitors book etc. will be taken out to the assembly point by the front office staff. The result of this check must be reported to the Headteacher /Premises Manager as soon as it is completed. The Headteacher /Premises Manager will liaise with the Fire Brigade on their arrival. The building must not be re-entered until staff are notified it is safe to do so by the Fire Brigade / Headteacher/ Premises Manager. If the building cannot be reoccupied following an evacuation arrangements will be made to contact parents. BOMB THREATS If a bomb threat is received notify the head teacher, or Premises Manager. The signal for evacuation of the building, should this be necessary, will be the sounding of the fire alarm. The normal evacuation procedure should be followed. [Please Note: Those exiting from the rear of the building should make their way to the front assembly point. The Headteacher / Premises Manager will then escort everyone to a safe distance from the building].
Checklist for First Day Fire Safety Instruction - APPENDIX B Take the new starter through the fire safety procedure as displayed at the fire alarm call points, in particular: Show them the location of the fire alarm call point and describe the way it operates. Emphasise that the first action on discovering a fire is to raise the alarm even if the fire is small. Describe the sound of the fire alarm and the action to be taken in when it sounds, in particular leaving the building with any students for which the staff member is responsible and going to the assembly point. Describe and walk the escape routes and alternative escape routes that the member of staff is likely to need to use and show the operation of any push bars or exit fittings. Show the new member of staff the location of the fire fighting equipment, explain the different types, but emphasise they should only be used if the staff member has been previously trained, if it is safe to do so and the alarm has been raised first and after an evacuation has been started.